Chinese & Western Herbal Tinctures, Extracted From Whole Herbs
A herbal tincture is a concentrated liquid extract made by steeping herbs in alcohol until the plant's active compounds move into the liquid. You take it by the dropperful, in water or under the tongue. This collection holds more than 100 tinctures — classic Chinese formulas, single Chinese herbs, and single Western herbs — all made in small batches and all priced at $14.
Why Take a Tincture Instead of Pills or Raw Herbs?
Tinctures absorb faster than tablets and take minutes rather than hours to prepare. Raw herbs need to be simmered into a decoction; capsules need to be broken down by digestion first. A tincture is already extracted, so it goes to work quickly and lets you adjust your dose drop by drop instead of being locked into whatever a manufacturer pressed into a pill.
- Tincture — no preparation, precise dose control drop by drop. Best for daily use, travel, and adjusting how much you take.
- Raw herbs — 60 to 120 minutes of simmering, dosed by the batch. Best for traditional decoctions and cooking.
- Pills and tablets — no preparation, fixed dose per tablet. Best for convenience and for avoiding the taste.
What's In This Collection
- Herbal Blends — traditional multi-herb formulas including Free and Easy Wanderer (Xiao Yao Tang), Four Gentlemen (Si Jun Zi Tang), Rehmannia Six (Liu Wei Di Huang Tang), Golden Cabinet (Jin Gui Shen Qi Tang) and Jade Windscreen (Yu Ping Feng San).
- Single Chinese Herbs — individual herbs such as astragalus, white peony root, codonopsis, zizyphus and aged tangerine peel, for building or adjusting your own combination.
- Single Western Herbs — familiar Western botanicals including milk thistle, valerian root, elderberry, ashwagandha, holy basil and saw palmetto.
How Are These Tinctures Made?
Each tincture is extracted from whole, identifiable herbs rather than pre-made powders or bulk commodity extract. Our herbs are sourced from established suppliers we buy from directly, and batches are lab tested for heavy metals, pesticides and sulfur before bottling. Formulas follow the traditional proportions they have been prepared in for centuries, reviewed by our staff herbalist, who is certified in both Chinese and Western herbal medicine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I take a herbal tincture?
The standard approach is to add the dropper amount listed on your bottle to a small glass of water, two to three times daily, or take it directly under the tongue. Taking it with water dilutes the alcohol and softens the taste. Follow the label on the specific bottle, since concentration varies by formula.
Do herbal tinctures contain alcohol?
Yes. Alcohol is the extraction solvent and the preservative that gives tinctures their long shelf life. The amount in a single dose is very small — comparable to what is in a ripe banana — but if you avoid alcohol entirely, our raw herbs and herbal broth and tea mixes are alcohol-free alternatives.
How long do tinctures last?
Stored in a cool, dark place with the cap closed, an alcohol-extracted tincture keeps its potency for several years. This is one of the main practical advantages over raw herbs, which lose aromatic compounds over months.
Can I take more than one tincture at a time?
Many people do, and traditional practice often combines a base formula with a single herb. That said, combinations interact, and some herbs are not appropriate alongside prescription medication or during pregnancy. Talk to a licensed herbalist or your physician before combining formulas or adding herbs to an existing medication routine.
What's the difference between a tincture and an extract?
All tinctures are extracts, but not all extracts are tinctures. "Tincture" specifically means an alcohol-based liquid extract. Powdered and glycerin-based extracts use different solvents and behave differently in the body.
Why Shop root + spring
root + spring was founded to make authentic Chinese herbal medicine approachable for people who did not grow up with it, and reliable for people who did. Our formulas are developed by a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, our herbs are sourced directly from established suppliers rather than commodity brokers, and every batch is lab tested before bottling. Orders over $99 ship free within the United States.
Not sure which formula fits? Reach out to our team or browse the root + spring journal for ingredient guides and TCM basics.
